Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a film-type biomedical signal measuring apparatus, and more particularly, to a film-type biomedical signal measuring apparatus that is configured in the form of a film to be easily attached to skin and to simultaneously measure two or more biomedical signals, a blood-pressure measuring apparatus and method for measuring blood pressure using the film-type biomedical signal measuring apparatus, a new-type cardiopulmonary fitness estimating apparatus and method for estimating a cardiopulmonary fitness index using the film-type biomedical signal measuring apparatus, and a personal authentication apparatus and method for determining whether a user is authenticated using the film-type biomedical signal measuring apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
For health examination of ordinary people as well as patients and elderly people, various biomedical signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG), blood pressure, the amount of physical activity, a respiration rate, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) are required. However, most typical biomedical signal measuring apparatus are configured to separately measure these biomedical signals.
For example, an ECG measuring apparatus measures ECG by measuring an electrical signal of beating heart. In this regard, the ECG measuring apparatus is generally configured to measure an electrical signal of beating heart above the skin and has been widely used in hospitals. In hospitals, distortion, etc. of waveforms of ECG signals are analyzed to determine whether the heart is abnormal, and heat reaction according to various health indexes, for example, stress and motion load are checked simply using a heart rate. For ECG measurement, at least three electrodes up to 10 electrodes are attached onto a skin surface so as to measure ECG. In general, when ECG is measured using three electrodes, one electrode is used as a reference electrode and a potential difference between the remaining two electrodes is measured so as to measure ECG
In addition, a BCG measuring apparatus measures physical reaction force of blood squirted during heartbeat on a skin surface to measure BCG, and biomedical indexes that is not present in ECG can be checked based on BCG. Accordingly, the BCG measuring apparatus have continuously received considerable attention by biomedical related researchers. For BCG measurement, BCG is measured by positioning a piezoelectric element between one part of a body, for example, sole and buttocks and a floor that contacts the body part and acquiring vertical vibration of the body according to blood flow as an electrical signal or positioning an acceleration sensor on the skin surface and measuring reaction of the body according to action of blood.
In addition, a body motion measuring apparatus measures body motion by quantitatively measuring a degree of movement of an acceleration sensor attached to each part such as an arm and a leg of the body to analyze the amount of physical activity, calorie consumption, step number, and so on. That is, the body motion measuring apparatus measures body motion by analyzing vibration of each part of the body according to body motion.
However, there are problems in that, an typical ECG measuring apparatus has a large size and a large number of wires, and thus it is cumbersome to use the apparatus and it is difficult to use the apparatus during movement, and even if the apparatus has a simple configuration, the apparatus is put around the chest in the form of a belt, and thus it is inconvenient to use the apparatus.
A typical BCG measuring apparatus measures BCG by positioning a wide and stiff paper type piezoelectric sensor on a wide body part such as a gap between buttock and a chair, between back and a chair, and between back and a bed or positioning a load cell type weight measuring sensor between a bed leg and the ground or in a weight scale, and thus there is a problem in that it is difficult to use the BCG measuring apparatus like the ECG measuring apparatus.
Most typical biomedical signal measuring apparatuses measure only one of biomedical signals such as ECG or BCG to provide only simple information, and thus there is a problem in that apparatuses according to respective biomedical signals need to be separately used to measure each biomedical signal.
In addition, among typical biomedical signal measuring apparatus, there is an apparatus for measuring a plurality of biomedical signals. There is a problem in that it is impossible to derive additional health information even if the apparatus for measuring a plurality of biomedical signals is used.